Allendale County, South Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.3 | 7,369 people · 20th most distressed in South Carolina
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Allendale County, SC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.2 — 532nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within South Carolina, it ranks 20th of 46 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Allendale County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 94.8 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 94.8
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Consumer Credit Distress 91.5
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 95
Economic Vitality 36.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 50
Housing Cost Burden 29.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 23
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 85
Legal Distress 11.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Allendale County
Allendale County, SC 67.3 Serious —
Bamberg County, SC 79.8 Serious +12.6
Burke County, GA 78.0 Serious +10.7
Barnwell County, SC 77.4 Serious +10.1
Colleton County, SC 75.3 Serious +8.1
Hampton County, SC 73.3 Serious +6.1
Screven County, GA 70.8 Serious +3.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Allendale County
Swisher County, TX 67.3 Serious +0.1
Seminole County, GA 67.1 Serious -0.2
Carter County, MO 67.1 Serious -0.2
Wilcox County, GA 67.6 Serious +0.3
Twiggs County, GA 67.6 Serious +0.4

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Allendale County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Allendale County

Find an Attorney

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

South Carolina Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 803-799-7100

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Allendale County residents at no cost.

SC Legal Services (Palmetto Legal Services / Greater Columbia Community Relations Council) 1-888-346-5592
Upstate Legal Services 864-679-3232
Pro Bono Legal Services — SC Bar 803-799-6653
Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services 843-853-3304
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (888) 346-5592

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Allendale County, South Carolina?

    Allendale County has a County Distress Index score of 67.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 532nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in South Carolina out of 46 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Allendale County?

    The primary driver of distress in Allendale County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 94.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Allendale County compare to neighboring counties?

    Allendale County (67.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bamberg County, SC (79.8); Burke County, GA (78.0); Barnwell County, SC (77.4).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Serious zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Allendale County's score of 67.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Allendale County's CDI score?

    Allendale County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Allendale County?

    Allendale County, South Carolina has a population of approximately 7,369 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.